Pieces Mended
by kirstencohen
Summary: Kirsten wasn't who she used to be. She was a shadow of the woman he married. Is it wrong to want your wife to go back to alcoholism?


**So it's late and I don't have much to say so please just read and review. It's surprisingly Kandified for me lol.**

**Flashbacks are in italics just so there's no confusion this time.**

**One shot.**

He ran his hands through his greasy hair and threw the papers to the desk. A dull ache ebbed in the back of his mind as the words on the contract merged into some other language he sure as hell hadn't ever studied. His head was all over the place. He couldn't concentrate on anything but her since she came home. She obviously couldn't drive so he was delegated the task of taxi driver. At least he knew where she was. He didn't want to have to keep tabs on her. He didn't want to be that controlling husband but he knew his wife. He always believed she could do anything, get through anything. She was the strongest person he knew but she went from the strongest to the weakest in those few seconds in the kitchen where she finally let her guard down and accepted the help of her family. He saw her for what she was. Lost. Vulnerable. An alcoholic.

Was that how she had always coped with things? He couldn't tell. Like he had said before.

"_Everyone in Newport Beach is a borderline alcoholic."_

As he sat there at his desk in the dim light he realised she was drunk the first time he met her.

"_One… two… three…" he ran his tongue along the salt on his hand as he lifted the glass to his lips and toppled his head back feeling the bitter liquid nip at his throat. He bit down hard on the lemon and cringed. He was rewarded by a slap on the back as his friends all mimicked his expression._

"_Too much for ya Sandman?" a voice sounded from his right. He turned to his friend Matt and grinned his famous grin. _

"_I lost the bet, Matt. And that's one tequila. No more I have to work tomorrow." He watched as his college buddies finished off their shots and smirked. No way would he screw up this job. He scanned the bar to find another group of guys staring over at a group of four girls all sipping on cocktails. A few random couples were dotted around as bar staff tried to keep on top off the glass collecting. Sandy sighed, "It's gonna be a long night."_

_Later Sandy was surrounded by his three drunken buddies as they sang along to the jukebox. The crowd in the bar had grown considerably as the night had gone on and it was a full house. The group of girls had now merged with the boys and the couples had either left or taken sanctuary in the bathrooms. _

_Just as the song ended another started up and he heard the familiar sound of Debbie Harry ebbing through the speakers. He turned to his friends but was interrupted by cheers all around him. He saw everyone facing him and looking up at something. He frowned and turned to see what was going on to find a pretty young blonde propped up on a table swaying her hips in time to the music. She had her eyes closed as she spun in a circle slowly egging the crowd on more as she ran her hands up her body and behind her head. Her black top rode up revealing a flash of silver where she had pierced her naval. The guys surrounding the table took great pleasure in glancing up her short pleated skirt as she cavorted around on the tabletop. She saw them staring and she simply smiled and continued to circle her hips. There was something about her that made Sandy continued to stare. She had an energy about her that was sexy but at the same time seemingly false. He couldn't help but wonder whether or not this was what this girl was really like minus the vodka shots. She eventually opened her eyes and began to laugh as she was joined by one of the men she was talking to earlier. Sandy watched in amusement as they both grinded on the table obviously enjoying the crowds attention. _

_Sandy saw that people were starting to grow bored of their floorshow and go back to their own company but he couldn't stop looking at her. He saw that if her eyes weren't as wild and her makeup wasn't as thick she'd be a very beautiful girl but she was hidden under a layer of foundation and fake smiles. The girl laughed as the man whispered something in her ear and he saw a flash of perhaps what she was. Underneath._

_He saw the man signal to his friends and they nodded and each took hold of the blonde's friend's elbows and led them out of bar leaving them both alone. Sandy frowned and watched as she craned her neck in search of her companions but she was quickly distracted as he planted his lips on hers. The girl seemed surprised at his gesture but responded nonetheless. She pulled away quickly obviously uncomfortable with his wandering hands as they travelled up her skirt he leaned down again and whispered something in her ear. She stopped dancing and climbed clumsily off of the table before grabbing her purse. She threw a disgusted look at the man still on the table and took off out the door. She was followed by the man a few seconds later and Sandy couldn't help but follow. He knew just by looking at her she was too drunk to fight him off and he was to drunk to know when to stop so when he found her pressed against the wall in protest he didn't think twice about intervening._

_The man jumped as Sandy pulled him off of the blonde and onto the sidewalk. He turned to her and saw her panic stricken and tearful, "You okay?" he asked. She simply nodded and watched as the guy disappeared down the street. Sandy turned to the girl and squinted, "You sure?" as he waited for an answer he watched as her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell forward into his arms. "Uh…" was all he could say as she rested on his shoulder. _

_He managed to get them into a cab before realising he had no idea where she lived. She was mumbling nonsense into his chest and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to keep her sitting upright. He took her purse and found a hand mirror, some twenty-dollar bills and a key. He frowned and instructed the driver to go his address. He didn't even know her name._

_Kirsten clutched her head under the sheets. She could feel the nausea build in the pit of her stomach as she curled into a ball. A few deep breaths later and she began to feel less sick and her headache loosened slightly. It took a few moments before she realised she wasn't in her own bed. The first thing was the smell. It was a mixture of salt water and aftershave._

_Oh dear god no._

_She swore to herself she would never do this. One-night stands were never appealing to her and she had always said she would never have one. And there she was lying in a random guy's bed with the worst hangover of her life. _

_But she was still dressed._

_Well she had a large Berkeley shirt on over her underwear. _

_Surely she wouldn't have sex and then get dressed?_

_Her head thudded more violently as she tried desperately to remember the previous night. She popped her head out from under the covers and was gladly greeted by a dim light peeking through the curtains. The pillow she wasn't using looked untouched. Either the guy she was with was really tidy or she had slept in the bed herself. She sat up uneasily and searched around the room for her clothes. She saw a photo of a girl with long brown hair wearing a Green Peace t-shirt. _

_She had hooked up with a girl?_

_It was worse than she thought._

_What the hell was she drinking?_

_Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. A man's voice sounded, "Are you awake?"_

_So it was a guy._

_He was either: _

_Married or_

_A stalker or_

_Both._

_She didn't know which out of A or B she'd prefer. "Uh yeah," she called back croakily. She saw a mass of dark shaggy hair pop around the door draping a pair of the bluest eyes she had ever seen. His smile was warm but his body language was awkward. _

"_Can I come in?" he asked sheepishly. Kirsten nodded and pulled the sheets closer to her body. He slid in through the door and stood awkwardly at the end of the bed. Kirsten saw large biceps under his sleeves and his t-shirt was stretched tight across his broad chest She began to not mind as much if she did sleep with him. She only hoped she would eventually remember._

"_Did we… uh… last night?" she asked softly refusing to meet his eye. He broke out into a large grin and she almost died on the spot but when he shook his head she breathed a sigh of relief, "So how did…?" _

"_You were on your own and passed out. I didn't know where you lived so… and you vomited over your other clothes so…but I didn't like look or… I'm Sandy," he said sticking his hand out. She took it after a pause and smiled. Sandy saw her face light up in the morning light and he knew that this was her. The real girl underneath the dancing and makeup._

"_I'm Kirsten."_

He got up from his chair and rounded his desk passing the many documents strewn across the desktop. He heard the voices of his boys in the kitchen and the occasional gentle laughter from his wife. Before she would have participated in the conversation. She had always been quiet around the boys content with listening as they chatted mindlessly about the girls but she would always put in her two cents. A comment here and there. Now she sat smiling and laughing at appropriate moments. He wasn't even sure she listened anymore. She had changed. She was no longer his Kirsten. Her energy was gone.

_Sandy pushed open the door of the manor allowing Kirsten to enter the foyer in front of him. Her luggage still lay in the trunk of their new Range Rover. He didn't know what to replace it with. What would she want? Would she care? And then he realised she wasn't even allowed to drive anymore so it didn't really matter. When he picked her up he found her on the front step of the clinic twisting her plastic replacement ring on her finger. She requested the arcade ring since she could no longer wear the old one. Still she kept the remaining pieces in her jewellery box. "I'll melt it into something," she promised. He watched as she stepped into the foyer carefully. He looked at her now and saw a younger version of what he had seen a few months ago. Her skin was clearer, her eyes no longer clouded with guilt or secrets. She wore a pair of jeans and a clean white vest. Her heeled shoes clicked as she made her way down the stairs. He noticed her hair had been cut differently and she now swayed more when she walked. She had put on weight. She had more of a curve to her hips. Her ass was no longer flat against her back and her breasts looked fuller. He smiled as she bent over and dropped her purse onto the floor, "God I missed you." He said softly. She turned in surprise as he clicked the door shut and reached for her hand. He pulled her close enjoying the warmth of her body pressed against his own. He kissed her cautiously wondering how comfortable she was feeling with him. She pulled back slightly but eventually eased into it. He felt her body relax and she ran her hands up his back to his head where she held him firm not allowing him to leave her lips until she said so. When she pulled back her face was flushed pink and her eyes danced with desire._

"_God I missed you," she replied with a smirk. Sandy took her hand and led her to the kitchen where Seth and Ryan were waiting anxiously. She paused at the door of the kitchen and waved sheepishly as they both noticed her presence. Both boys smiled softly as she stood awkwardly in the doorway, "Hi," she whispered close to tears. Seth was the first to approach her._

"_Mom," he said before enveloping her in his arms, "I like your hair," he said into her shoulder. Kirsten laughed through the tears. _

"_Thank you baby." When he pulled away Kirsten took his head in her hands and studied his face. She ran her thumbs across his cheeks, "My handsome boy." Seth smiled as his mother repeated the words and actions he had heard and felt as a little boy. _

"_My beautiful mommy," he whispered so only she could hear. She got onto her tip-toes and dropped a light kiss on his lips before pulling him toward her again, "I missed you, mom." Kirsten saw Ryan sitting on the bar stools looking somewhat uneasy about the whole situation. When she parted from Seth she stood in front of Ryan and tipped his chin toward her._

"_I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't…" but she was interrupted as Ryan threw his arms around her neck._

"_I missed you, Kirsten." Kirsten stood in shock for a second before returning the embrace._

"_Oh Ryan I missed you too."_

"_Promise me you won't leave again," he whispered into her hair._

"_I promise."_

Sandy remembered how that night they had taken to bed early and hadn't emerged from the room until late into the afternoon the next day. It was then that she changed. She became more distant. More reluctant to partake in any conversations. She would curl into him at night. Holding him close as though she would lose him again. She curled her leg in his and wrapped his arms around her tight. "Don't let go," she pleaded one night in her sleep.

"I'm not going anywhere baby I'm here."

"You can't let me go. Not again I can't do it again." He frowned as small beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. He gripped her tighter and prayed God would mend his broken heart and make her better. He loved her more than words. He knew that she felt the same but something was lost.

Was the Kirsten he knew even the real Kirsten?

He had always known her to be a drinker.

Was she always just a little bit high?

How could he say he knew her if it was the alcohol that made her the woman he loved?

He missed her. He missed her laugh. Her smile when he said something romantic around the boys. He missed her being pissed at him when he did something wrong. He couldn't bear it anymore. She was gone. She was a shadow of his beautiful vibrant wife. The new Kirsten looked better. She was healthier. She no longer needed her crutch to get through the day. He should be happy. So why did he feel so shit all the time?

Why was it when she came into the room he felt them grow that little bit further apart?

He finally got to the kitchen as the boys exited to the pool house. Kirsten sat at the bar stool sipping coffee, "Hey baby," she said softly. He looked at her his massive eyebrows shooting under his fringe at her term of endearment. He took it upon himself to cross the kitchen and plant a kiss on her forehead.

"Hey."

Kirsten tingled at the feeling of his lips on her skin. She smiled, "I think I'm getting better." She said suddenly. Sandy frowned his eyebrows coming back down.

"What do you mean?" Kirsten looked into her coffee cup.

"I know I've been… difficult. And I'm sorry but… Sandy I don't know how I'm supposed to act anymore. Before I was… I was me and now I feel like this whole new person that nobody knows and I feel… I feel like a stranger in this family." Sandy was suddenly hit with a wave of guilt but it was followed by relief.

She was till there.

She continued, "I felt like I had to ease back into the house. And tonight was… tonight was a good night with the boys. We watched movies and I tried that pirate game thingy,"

"Ninja's." he corrected her. She smiled.

"I love you," she whispered and got off the stool. Sandy could have cried in that moment with happiness. He had never felt so relieved.

It was still her. She was still there. Kirsten Cohen the woman that he married was still there and she still loved him.

"You have no idea how good it is to her that." He said breathlessly. Kirsten smiled.

The distance between them narrowed.

"Well why don't you say it and let me feel what it's like?"

"Kirsten Nichol Cohen. I love you."

**Please Review**


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